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Reds' Morgan has high praise for Phillips

Reds' Morgan has high praise for Phillips

042511 Brandon Phillips

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HOUSTON -- Hall of Famer Joe Morgan may be the best second baseman to have played the game. And Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips is among the best currently in the game, having made his first National League All-Star team last season.

"He's already a great second baseman," said Morgan, the Reds' senior advisor to president of baseball operations and general manager Walt Jocketty. "He makes plays no other second baseman can make. He's a fabulous player. I don't know how good he can be, he's already there to me."

Phillips, who batted cleanup on Tuesday against the Astros, entered the game batting .311 with four home runs, 17 RBIs and 22 runs.

Twice in the previous three seasons, the 29-year-old Phillips has won a Gold Glove Award (2008, 2010), and twice in the previous four seasons, he won the Ernie Lombardi Award as the Reds' Most Valuable Player ('07, '09).

"We forget that a second baseman's job, a shortstop's job -- their first job is to play defense up the middle," said Morgan. "And he does a great job of that, and now he's being recognized as an All-Star because of having all the other stuff."